Oscillating treadle propelling mechanism for bicycles



M. E. PETERSEN March 3, 1953 OSCILLATING TREADLE PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR BICYCLES Filed March 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOJR. g g/ems E. PETER .5'EN

A 7' TORNE Y March 3, 1953 M. E. PETERSEN 2,630,333

OSCILLATING TREADIfE PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR "BICYCLES Filed March 5, 1951" 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M II953 M. E. PETERSEN 2,630,333

oscILLATm TREA'DLE PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR BICYCLES Filed March 5. 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. MAE/us E. PETERSEN ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1953 U N I TED S Fl' -l exam-s33 bscmmireiremetnpeacetime MECHANISM FOR BICYCLES -*Ma1 ius:E.=*FctefsenfLos Angelesgcalit. AppIicationMaImh-S, WELT Serial N0521329 2 cream.

My invention 'relates generally to vehicles and more particularly to bicycles.

An object of my invention is 'to'provide'a bicycle embodying a propelling mechanism structurally characterized in a 'manner to dispense with the well known rotary cranks and their attending energy-wasting movements during 'a l'arg'e .portion of a revolution, and to substitute therefor vertically reciprocating or oscillating treadles which are opcratively connected to the wheel so as to transmit torque thereto in response todownward-movement of the treadles with a minimum expenditure of energy and under such controlof the operator that variable power strokes can be imparted to the treadles asis most convenient to the length of the legs of the operator, all so "as to obtain the maximum amount of power from the propelling mechanism and to enable a childeto propel a full size bicycle as easily as an adult.

Another object of my invention is to provide a bicycle propelling mechanism of the above described character which weighs considerably less than the propelling mechanism embodying rotary cranks, and which may be substituted therefor by being applied to any bicycle as an article of manufacture with the utmost ease and dispatch and at a'reasdnable cos't.

With these and other objects in view, -iiiyihvention resides in the combinations, arrangements and functional relationships of elements as set forth in "the following specification and particularly pointed out in'the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, showing the rear portion of a bicycle with one form of propelling mechanism embodying my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontalsectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure '1;

Figure 3 is a'fragmenta'ry vertical transverse sectional view taken on'theline 3'3 of Figure '1';

Figure "4 is a fragmentary plan view 'of a detachable connection between each'treaale and its operative connection to the bicycle wheel;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1-; I

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken generally on the line 6-6 "of Figure 1, with a portion left-inelevatio'n; and

Figures 7 and 8 are vertical sectional views taken on the lines 1*! and-8 8, respectively; or Figurefi. 7

Referring specifically "to the drawings, -my invention, in its illustrated embodiment coinpris'es right and left treadles Ill andfl having'p'eiia'ls l2 and I3, respectively;"pivctally'mountd'bn'their forward ends 'f'for limited rockingmovements; and being "bifurcated "at theirrearends to 'rec'eiv'e short'arms f4 and 15', on thelbwe'reridsofWhiCh the treadle's are pivotallymounted by "means "of bolts 1'6 and. "I1, thearm'shaving"openingsree ceiving "the outer endsof the 's t'ationary axl'efl8 'forth'e wheel W, and bein clamped. againstthe outer sides drthe frame by nuts ts-anti 2'9 screwed on the axle. The arms I4 and lawman are identical in construction, are provided withf'key lugs 2-l entering the usual slots 22 inthei' rear for 23 of the frame E which eceive the-end portions of the .axle. The lugs 2-1 ico-a'ct with the slots 22 to lock the arms MZand l5 rigidlyjto the-frame against .rotation so thatth'elpivot bolts [6 and I1 v:providefixed .fulcrums to moun't'the treadles at opposite sidesof the frame for reciprocating or oscillating movements vertically between 7 the two extreme positions shown in Figure 1. 1

The-axle l 8 serves to-supporttherearor driving wheel W in the frame F by means of the wheel hub-2'5 which has cup shaped-heads 26 at its ends (Figurefi) forming the outer Braces :for ball :bearing-s =21. Retaining mute-28 are screwed into :the respective heads :26 and form the-inner races @for the' bearings zl so-as to rotatablyv-mount the wheel W on the :axle i 8 in the "rear forks -2 3 and 29=0f the-frame.

The treadles l0 and H are operativel-y connected positively soas to alternately move up and down about the. common axis of the pivot bolts l6 and 1| 1, by means ofaz-mechanism comprising a bracket '30 fixed to thezright 'treadle H1 and having 'Pivoted'thereon at 31 one end ofa-link 32 theother end of which is pivotally connected-Tat 33 to one end of a lever 34 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends a-'t 35'-o'n a bracket 36 -fixed to the right hand-member 37- of therear fork 23; To the oppos'ite end of the lever is pivo'tal ly connecte'd'at ifl one end of a link 39 the other end of which ispivotallyconnec'ted at Mltoone-end of an arm H the other 'endofwhieh is "fixetito one of the trunnions l-z on the ends of a U'-shaped stop member 43, the'other trunnion H of which has fixed'theretoone end-of a secondarm' 4 5 co acting "with the a'rnr' ll to define a single- Compou'ndlever.

The trunnions W2 and '44 are mounted 'in'bea'r 1112s "46 "and 4 7 'l'e'Sr'ielivlY, at Opposite "sides of the Wheel 'W, and these hearings are fixed to the lower part of atwo-part bracket clamped bya bolt 49 to the frame fork 23 in. advance (or the wheel as shown-'inFigureB. "The otlferehd of the arm 45 has pivotally connected thereto at 5!] one end of a link 5| the other end of which is pivotally mounted at 52 on a bracket 53 fixed to the left treadle II. By means of this compound lever and link connection between the treadles l6 and II as just described, downward movement imparted to either treadle by the operator will positively impart a corresponding upward movement to the other treadle, these motions beingdefinitely limited by engagement of the stop member 43 with an abutment 54 fixed to the lower part of the bracket 48 by the bolt 49.

The treadles l0 and II are each operatively connected to the wheel W by identical mechanisms so that a detailed description of one mechanism will suffice for both. However, to distinguish like parts of the two mechanisms from each other, the reference characters designating the parts of one mechanism will be provided with exponents. I

The mechanism for the treadle I0 comprises a driving element in the form of a sprocket wheel 50 having opposed outer races 6| for ball bearings 62, the inner races of which are provided by a driven element in the form of a ring 63 screwed tightly on one of the heads 26 of the wheel hub 25 so as to be rigidly secured thereto for rotation therewith, and a retaining ring nut 64 also screwed onto the head 26, all as clearly shown in Figure 6.

Between the outer races 6|, the sprocket wheel 60 is provided internally with a ratchet wheel 65 the teeth of which co-act with pawls 66 pivotally mounted on the ring 63 by pins El and urged by springs 68 into engagement with the ratchet teeth. The ratchet wheel 65 and the pawls 66 provide a uni-directional rotary clutch operable to provide a driving connection between the sprocket wheel 60 and the bicycle W to drive the latter forwardly upon rotation of the sprocket wheel in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure '7.

Pivotally connected by a pin 10 to a lug H on the sprocket wheel 60 which interrupts the teeth of the wheel, is one end of a sprocket chain 12 the other end of which is pivotally connected by a pin 13 to one end of a flexible cable 14 trained about a flanged pulley 15 rotatably mounted on a pin '16 projecting from the upper part of the two-part bracket 48 as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. The other end of the cable 14 is fixed to a head 11 and passes through an opening formed between a bracket 18 on the treadle l0 and a keeper 19 which is detachably secured to the bracket by a cotter pin 80 passing through registering openings in the bracket and keeper, all so as to enable the cable to be connected to and disconnected from the treadle for easy assembly and disassembly.

The pin 10 projects from the chain 12 at the outer side thereof, and connected to this pin by an eye 85 and a cotter pin 86 is one end of a flat coil spring 81 mounted freely between a pair of guard plates 88 and 89, and connected at its other end by a headed pin 90 to a sleeve 9! mounted on the stationary axle 18, the inner vend of the pin projecting into a keyway 92 in loaded or Wound to exert a relatively light pull upon the respective treadle [0 or II when occupying its extreme raised position, a downward push by the foot of the operator upon one treadle or the other will exert a pull upon the corresponding cable 74 and chain 12, or the cable 14a and chain 12a as the case may be, and will cause the respective sprocket wheel 60 or 60a to co-act with the respective pawls 66 or 66a in driving the wheel W forwardly.

Upon upward movement of either treadle, the

respective spring 81 or 810. which has been further wound by downward movement of the treadle, effects retrograde rotation of the respective sprocket wheel so as to pull upon the respective chain and cable to maintain them taut as upward movement of the treadle progresses,

thus restoring the parts to their original positions when the treadle reaches its extreme raised position.

Any desired downward power stroke may be imparted to the treadles to effect forward rotation of the wheel W, thus enabling riders of all ages, to ride a full size bicycle so long as the riders legs can reach and depress the treadles to any extent.

In applying my invention to a bicycle of standard manufacture, the usual driving sprocket wheel and its pair of cranks and pedals, as well as the rear wheel hub are removed and my invention substituted without the necessity of drilling or in any way structurally weakening the frame F or otherwise modifying the construction of the bicycle.

I claim:

1. In a bicycle having a frame and a driving wheel journaled in the frame, a propelling mechanism comprising: right and left foot treadles; means mounting the treadles from said frame at opposite sides thereof for oscillating movement vertically between extreme raised and lowered positions; unidirectional rotary clutches, one for each treadle, by which forward rotational movement may be transmitted to said driving wheel; and means, one for each treadle, operatively connectin a treadle to the respective one of said clutches to effect forward rotation of the driving wheel in response to downward movement of the treadle; and mechanism operatively interconnecting the treadles for alternate upward and downward movements; said mechanism for operatively interconnecting the treadles comprising a link pivotally connected at one end to one treadle; a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends about a fixed axis on said frame; means pivotally connecting the other end of said link to one end of said lever; a second link pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said lever; a compound lever having two arms; means pivotally mounting said compound lever about a fixed axis on said frame; means pivotally connecting the other end of said second link to one of said arms; a third link pivotally mounted at one end on the other treadle; and means pivotally connecting the other end of said third link to the other of said arms.

2. In a bicycle having a frame including a rear fork, the members of which are spanned by a stationary axle on which the hub of the driving wheel is rotatably mounted, a propelling mechanism comprising: arms projecting from said axle on the outer sides of said frame and rigidly secured thereto; right and left foot treadles pivotally mounted at their rear ends on said arms for oscillatin movement vertically between extreme raised and lowered positions, and having pedals mounted on their forward ends; unidirectional rotary clutches, one for each treadle, by which forward rotational movement may be transmitted to said driving wheel; each of said clutches comprising a ring having spring-urged pawls and fixed to the hub of the driving wheel, and a sprocket wheel rotatably mounted on said hub and having an internal ratchet wheel with the teeth of which said pawls are engaged; sprocket chains, one for each of said sprocket wheels and secured at one end to the respective sprocket wheel for meshing engagement therewith; pulleys, one for each sprocket chain, rotatably mounted on said frame; flexible cables connected to said treadles and to the respective sprocket chains, to effect forward rotation of the driving wheel in response to downward movement of the treadles; pairs of guard plates mounted on said axle at the outer sides of the sprocket wheels; coil springs mounted between the guard plates of each pair, with one end secured to said axle and the other end secured to the respective sprocket wheel so as to be loaded during downward movement of the treadles, and to effect retrograde rotation of the sprocket wheels and maintain said chains and cables taut during upward movement of the treadles; and a compound lever and link mechanism operatively interconnecting the treadles for alternate upward and downward movements; said mechanism for operatively interconnecting the treadles comprising a link pivotally connected at one end to one treadle; a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends about a fixed axis on said frame; means pivotally connecting the other end of said link to one end of said lever; a second link pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said lever; a, compound lever having two arms; means pivotally mounting said compound lever about a fixed axis on said frame; means pivotally connecting the other end of said second link to one of said arms; a third link pivotally mounted at one end on the other treadle; and means pivotally connecting the other end of said third link to the other of said arms.

MARIUS E. PETERSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 644,686 Runyan et al. Mar. 6, 1900 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,118 Great Britain Dec. 1, 1904 8,392 Sweden Sept. 11, 1896 459,800 Great Britain Jan. 15, 1937 

